The Beginnig of Fate
by utano-amaya
Summary: how did the senshi meet in the silver millenium and what started off the serires? read and see!
1. part 1

Author Name: Utano Amaya  
  
E-mail Address: [1]JMFreader@aol.com  
  
Story Title: The Beginning of Fate  
  
Author's notes: Okay.... Umm...this is my first fanfiction so I'm kinda new ^ ^. It's supposed to be how the sailor senshi met in the silver millennium... and how Uranus and Neptune ended up being guardians of the solar system to keep things from coming in and destroying us...and why Usagi is so scared of storms...and why her father from the silver millennium is never mentioned...and why earth ended up warring with the moon...and lots of other things. But actually none of them are brought up in this first section. It's kinda long, I apologize for that, the other sections shouldn't be quite so long (I hope), but because this was an intro sort of thing it ended up being... well... long. I hope you enjoy it, it gets better. And if you want to read the next parts I would suggest saving this or printing it or something, because the story flows really well and I won't have any recaps. If you enjoy it_e-mail me; if you hate it_e-mail me. Tell me why you feel how you feel. I am  
WAAAAAAAY open for suggestions. It might be a while before I send out the next part so...uhhh...be patient.  
  
The Beginning of Fate   
  
Part 1  
  
A young girl opened her eyes and sat up in her white curtained bed. She blinked; growing adjusted to the light, and pulled the curtains apart to step out of her large bed. When her bare feet touched the cold granite floor it sent a shiver through her body making her instantly want to jump back in again. She sighed knowing that it would be useless because she'd never get to sleep a second time.  
  
She walked to a light blue vanity on one side of the room and picked up a big silver hairbrush in her small hand and began to caress her hair as she looked into a round mirror In front of her. She looked at the golden wave that fell all the way to her thighs, then wished it were longer. She wanted hair like her mother's, that fell almost to the ground even when it was up. She always wanted to be just like her elegant mother, and was very pleased when people told her she looked like her mother, told her that she had her mother's bright blue eyes and her soft complexion. She would do anything to evolve into the loving person her mother, Queen Selenity, was.  
  
The girl had even been named for her mother, "Selenity", though most people who knew her just called her "Selena". It was not surprising that she wore her hair in the same style as her mother, the style that she was putting it in now, two balls on the topsides of her head - letting what hair that wasn't used to form the orb fall in graceful pigtails down her back.  
  
Selena then curved her bangs around a golden mark in the center of her forehead, a mark she had also inherited from her mother. It was the birthmark of the royal family of the moon, telling anyone who saw it that Selena was a royal princess. That was probably the only thing she inherited from her mother she wasn't sure she wanted.  
  
She walked across the room to her closet, where she pulled off her lacy nightgown and dressed her six-year old body in a cream gown with a layered ruffled skirt. She looked at the towering grandfather clock to her right and discovered it was earlier than she thought it had been. She decided to just wander the castle until breakfast.  
  
People were often surprised that Selena was only six. It wasn't that she looked older, in fact she might have looked younger than her age to some. And it wasn't her large vocabulary, she rarely spoke, and besides- one would expect no less from a princess. It was her incredible awareness, Selena was aware of any secret ways adults might use to say things they thought she wouldn't understand or didn't need to hear. Because of this people often forgot that she was still a wide-eyed six-year-old.  
  
Selena walked out of her room in to the stairway in the hall. The long stairs were carpeted in scarlet and the high walls and ceilings were made of silvery marble that glowed with the crystal chandeliers that hung like icicles.  
  
She began to wander. She wasn't quite sure where she was going but she wasn't really paying attention anyway. Her mind was drifting with her feet. It was an odd site to see such a small child strolling a castle alone, but the castle was what she knew. She always enjoyed exploring the smallest corner that she'd seen a thousand times.  
  
Selena found herself in front of crystal glass windows and doors that led to a small stone balcony where she saw a woman, with her hair blowing in the wind and hand resting on the balcony rail. She looked comforted and content there, as if she could stay there and just forget the world she had to face. Selena smiled and leaned against the wall, watching the woman glow and breathe in a golden-red sunrise over a stone crystal city. Selena continued to grin, and the woman turned to face her.  
  
Upon seeing Selena the woman's smile turned to a glow. She stepped off the balcony and into the hall. Her slim figure was draped in a silver/cream strapless gown, across the front a white bow lay over her chest. Her ivory hair (though she claimed it to be blonde) fell almost to the ground.  
  
She kneeled casually down on one knee in front of Selena so they were facing each other eye to eye and Selena giggled.  
  
"Selena, what on the moon are you doing up so early?" the woman laughed, her voice like a bell.  
  
"Oh_ nothing, Mama, I just woke up early", Selena grinned. Her mother always talked to her like an equal, not an important princess and not an ignorant child. Selena didn't get that often.  
  
"Well then, I say we go walking, I have something to talk to you about." Selena noticed the sudden seriousness in her mother's voice and followed.  
  
The two walked in silence for a while, until they came to the gardens within the castle walls. In the center of the circular gardens, that had paths running through them like a spider's web, was a ring-shaped stone bench. The gardens were full of all sorts of flowers, violets, tulips, orchids, too many exotic flowers to mention, and roses. Selena couldn't say why, but she liked the roses the best, the bright, silky scarlet roses that seem to whisper promises to her as the wind blew them in a magic dance.  
  
Queen Selenity led Selena to the round bench and set her down, soon sitting next to her. Queen Selenity looked hard into Selena's eyes and Selena looked wide-eyed back. Was there bad news? Had something happened? What could it be? Selena felt panic course through her and tensed at what might be coming.  
  
Her mother saw the fear and wondered in awe, her daughter was so innocent and yet so aware. It was incredible. "Selena", she said, a weak smile coming to her face, comforting her daughter a little. "Do you know you're beautiful?"  
  
It was obvious that this was not what Selena had expected to hear. She blinked; silent for a moment, absorbing what was said. "Mama, What's this about? I don't understand."  
  
Selenity sighed, she could never get anything past this girl. "Selena, something very important is going to happen tomorrow, and it mostly concerns you."  
  
This intrigued Selena all the more, "What Mama? What is it?"  
  
"Tomorrow you are going to meet some new people, girls your age." She paused, "It's pretty important considering you'll be spending the rest of your life with them."  
  
Selena's only response was more confusion. Selenity decided it would be best to finish first, then explain all the details.  
  
"They will help you and you will help them. They will have very important jobs when they're older, just like you, but for now it's so you can learn to be a good leader...and so you can have some friends." Selenity took a breath; "You will also meet Prince Endymion, of Earth. The people of moon and earth are only allowed to communicate every ten years. I know you are very young but you have to make a good impression. The job of our kingdom is to protect the earth and they have to know we're doing it!"  
  
Selenity looked at Selena for some reaction. It took awhile for anything to show, and when there was emotion it was only worry.  
  
"Who..."Selena paused, thinking of the right words, "...are the girls? Who are their parents? Where do they come from?"  
  
Selenity emitted a low sigh, how could she explain this? She took a deep breath, "They're...orphans, or their parents gave them up. Sometimes parent would give them up for this purpose, so they could have a place among royalty, and sometimes they just weren't wanted anymore."  
  
Selena glanced down, hands clenching her skirt. She thought she understood, at least she thought she knew what her mother was saying. She could never understand why anyone would want to give up their children, it just didn't sit right with her. Then something else came to mind.  
  
"How long will the prince be here?"  
  
"About a month, by the end of the month a lot of things will be happening." Selenity's voice seemed to drift away with the breeze, as if it were only the vocalization of a passing thought--a thought that wasn't welcome. She sighed. Selena thought about questioning what her mother meant, but thought against it.  
  
Selenity watched her tiny daughter contemplating everything that was being told her and was encouraged. "You really are beautiful, you know". She stood and smiled, turning to face Selena. "Don't worry, it's just something new to look forward to, nothing more. Now let's go have breakfast."  
  
All the sudden Selenity seemed more relieved. Maybe Selena had nothing to worry about. Maybe Selenity had only been nervous about telling her daughter, though Selena couldn't see why.  
  
Selena walked with her hand in her mother's. She had to take two steps for every one her mother took, but she didn't mind, she was cheered. Nothing bad had happened and she was going to meet new friends. She could finally have a bit of fun with people who were good at hide-and-go-seek, instead of the adults, who could never find big enough hiding places. This was going to be fantastic!  
  
She and her mother walked into the dining hall. The whole room glowed with light blue tinted lamps. The ceiling was high, with wood halfway up the wall and flowered wallpaper up the rest. The table was far too big for the three people who ate at it. But the entire room had a strange elegance; it was on of Selena's favorite rooms.  
  
Mother and daughter were about to sit down when a tall man with light brown hair walked in, smiling confidently. He walked across the room to Selena, bent over and gave her a kiss on the forehead, she giggled. Then he strode over to Selenity and grabbed her around the waist with one arm.  
  
"How's my love this morning?" he laughed, kissing her on the lips.  
  
Any tension that might have been left over from the previous conversation fled. Selena loved that about her father, he had a glow about him that tore away any concerns, doubts, or tears. She watched him kiss her mother and smiled, every time they kissed she could see that Akemi and Selenity were meant for each other, it comforted her to know that her parents loved each other so much.  
  
They sat down and a servant woman brought them their breakfast trays. The woman had strawberry hair and bright dancing brown eyes. Selenity smiled at the woman.  
  
"Miaso, thank you, this is fantastic!" then she laughed "so when are you going to marry that fiancé of yours?"  
  
The servant, Miaso, giggled back "As soon as he lets me!"  
  
"Well tell me when you've set a date, I want to be there."  
  
By now Miaso was in a fit of twitters, "I'll be sure to Selenity, don't you worry."  
  
Selenity smiled, she always treated her servants as equals, and in fact the main job requirement to be a servant at the castle was "Will you promise not to call me `miss' and keep me as a friend?" They were her employees, not demons. Selenity's best friends were her own servants, Selena love that. Her father was the same way. Unfortunately there were no children servants, and none of the adult servants had kids, Selena often felt very lonely. But when that feeling approached her now she remembered that tomorrow she would be able to meet a whole load of girls and she didn't feel lonely anymore.  
  
When Miaso left the three began eating their breakfast from the silver trays. The all ate gracefully, though the food was so good Selena felt like digging in face first.  
  
As she took another bite, Akemi glanced at her, "So, I'm guessing your mother told you about tomorrow." His voice was unreadable and Selena didn't know what to think. What were they keeping from her?  
  
"Yes, Daddy, Mama told me." She paused, wondering about her feelings, then added, "I'm excited"  
  
Akemi grinned. His voice was solemn but his face was expectant, "Selena, I'm very happy for you. You could use some friends, I know it's very lonely in the castle. Remember, now you will have to be a real princess, because you will have someone to princess to."  
  
Selena froze, only for a second, she didn't even think her parents saw. She continued eating but her mind was racing. What did her father mean? It was obvious he was not aware he had upset her at all. But Selena suddenly felt the crescent moon press against her forehead as if the air around her was closing on it, and she didn't want to be a princess anymore. These girls would either be expecting a high class, socially polite, wonder princess or a stuck up snob. They would want her to change, to be the stereotyped princess from fairy-tales, and not be the girl she was. All of the sudden she was frightened and nervous, she wasn't ready for this to happen.  
  
She finished eating and excused herself from the table. She found her way through the palace to a small room where she had her lessons. There were ten wooden desks set up on the green carpet, though so far she'd been the only student. At the front of the room was a wooden desk, Selena's desk right in front of it, nearly touching it. Selena walked to the back of the room where a bookshelf covered the back wall, she picked up a literature book then carried the book to her desk and sat down.  
  
She looked up into the face of her teacher, who had been sitting on the front desk the whole time, unnoticed. Selena realized she'd been so worried about tomorrow that she hadn't been paying attention to her surroundings.  
  
"If I was a snake, I would have bit you" the teacher narrowed her eyes.  
  
"Yes, Ms. Luna, but you are not a snake, your a cat" Selena wasn't in the mood for lectures, she was preoccupied with other things.  
  
"Cats can bite just as well, you need to pat more attention to what's around you. As a princess you're a prime target for anyone who wants something from this kingdom."  
  
"Children can bite too. Their teeth just aren't sharp enough to do much damage. Besides, I'm not here to learn about my surroundings, I'm here to learn books!" Selena had been yelling very quickly with this statement. The black cat on the desk did not seem impressed.  
  
Selena sighed, relaxed her tense body and let her head plop down on the desk before her. She felt like crying and didn't know what brought it on. She held her tears in though and just squeezed her eyelids together tightly. Maybe she could block it all out, maybe it would all disappear.  
  
She felt a rough lick on her cheek and opened her eyes to see a gold crescent mark in black fur above big cat eyes. She never understood how Luna had a crescent mark, she wasn't of royal blood, all she knew was that Luna was Selenity's first counselor and that had something to do with it.  
  
"You okay?" the cat's eyes were worried, Selena had never seen Luna be kind like this before. She was never cruel, but always strict and trying to make Selena realize all of her responsibilities and potential. Luna wasn't one for kind words and Selena saw her now and wondered what was different as the cat spoke on, "I know things are kind of stressful right now, sorry if I upset you."  
  
"Oh, Luna, You didn't do anything. I'm just...I dunno...worried about tomorrow for some reason."  
  
Luna looked at Selena. She acted and sounded like an overwhelmed teenager, or even an adult, dropped into a six-year-old body. She was doing things like worrying about growing up to be a leader and rule a kingdom, she was too young for this. She didn't choose this, she didn't choose who she was born as. Luna sighed and watched her realize exactly what that meant.  
  
"Do you want to talk abou_"  
  
"No!" Selena cut her off then calmed herself, trying to use all her six-year-old acting skills to pretend as if nothing had happened. "Let's get on with our lesson. Shall we?"  
  
And so they did. Though neither could get very into it. Selena went trough the rest of the day silent and in deep thought. At some points thoughts of tomorrow would make her ecstatic, at others she would want to crawl in a hole and hide away. Even in her dreams that night she was tossing and turning as her dreams changed from fairy-tales to nightmares. She awoke unrested and scared, a nervous wreck. Why was she feeling this way? Why couldn't she decide if this was good or bad? Why did she feel so helpless?  
  
Selena sighed. It was so confusing. What should she do? She sat up in bed thinking and worrying. As she became lost in thought her mother came in.  
  
"Oh good, you're awake. We have to get ready a little early today for everyone coming." Selenity smiled, "We'll be meeting them at breakfast."  
  
Her mother had left and she still didn't know what to think of anything. She couldn't be these children's princess! They were probably expecting some quite, cultured, quick-thinking leader! She was just a girl, the word `princess' didn't mean anything more to her than a possible addition to her name! And the prince was probably someone more cultured than her looking for some `civilized' conversation. She couldn't meet these people's expectations! What would they think of her? If only she could meet them before they met her.  
  
But there was nothing she could do. She began to get ready- that thought repeating in her mind. `There's nothing I can do but accept it. THERE'S NOTHING I CAN DO!'  
  
Then she froze. May be she didn't have to accept it. At least she could avoid it until she was more ready. She closed her eyes; she didn't have time for thought, only for action.  
  
References  
  
1. mailto:JMFreader@aol.com 


	2. part 2

The Beginning of Fate   
  
Part 2  
  
She quickly finished getting ready and pulled on some slippers, She tiptoed silently with the speed and grace of snake to the gardens where just yesterday she found out she was going to spend the rest of her life with strangers. She faced the circular stone bench and ran towards it. She hopped inside the center of the ring and crouched. She figured she could stay here until she was more ready to greet the other children.  
  
It was hidden in the stone circle that she felt eyes upon her. She turned around and muffled a scream. She wasn't alone, crouched behind the bench with her was a black-haired boy who was obviously as shocked to see her as she was to see him. His bright blue eyes were wide and scared, she didn't recognize him.  
  
"Who are you?" she stammered, thinking of nothing better to say.  
  
The boy hesitated, "Th-that doesn't matter, and besides, I could ask you the same thing!"  
  
Selena stared. He didn't recognize her? It was then she realized that in all her running and hopping about her bangs had been pushed over her crescent mark. Good, it was better he didn't know who she was, "If your name doesn't matter then neither does mine. But why are you on palace grounds?"  
  
The boy paused, "How about this? Neither of us asks any questions and we help each other stay hidden. It's obvious we're both hiding from something, so lets agree to help each other, okay?"  
  
"Okay, works for me." she paused, "How old are you"  
  
The boy laughed, "I thought we agreed to no more questions. Oh well, I guess that couldn't hurt. I'm nine, almost ten. You?"  
  
"I'm six." she smiled.  
  
They sat in silence for a moment, and then Selena giggled.  
  
"What're you gigglin' about?"  
"Oh nothing, this is just way better then what I would've been doing."  
  
The boy laughed again, "Me too" and the ice was broken. Whispers and subdued giggles filled the secret hiding place. Selena liked this boy. He seemed a lot like her. They kept giggling until they were both on the ground, gasping for air.  
  
Then the wind blew.  
  
Never had there been a moment so awkward. He suddenly stopped laughing. She stopped too, to find him staring straight at her forehead. She knew what he saw, he saw a crescent mark, and she suddenly wanted to get rid of it more than she ever had before. She was going to lose her new friend.  
  
"You're..."he started, but he didn't need to finish, she knew what he wanted to say.  
  
"Yes, I'm Princess Selenity."  
  
"I don't believe it" Selena looked toward the ground as he spoke, "This is what I was running from?" He laughed.  
  
Whatever Selena had been expecting, this wasn't it. She looked up curiously to find his hand stretched out to her.  
  
"Hello," He said, as if they were just meeting and had never seen each other before, "I'm Endymion, Prince Endymion."  
  
She gawked, her eyes wide. Slowly a grin began to play on her lips. She started laughing at how worried she had been over nothing. Soon Endymion was laughing with her.  
  
"I thought you'd be some stuck up Twirp!"  
  
"I thought you'd be a cultured swine!"  
  
They both lay on the ground laughing and smiling at their foolishness. But it wasn't long before; "SELENITY!" their laughter was cut short. Uh oh, Selena looked up into her mother's sharp face. She had called her `Selenity' instead of `Selena'. This wasn't good.  
  
Suddenly Akemi was standing next to his wife, "Selena, what are you doing?"  
  
Selena fought desperately for something to say. Finally she settled on the truth. "H-hiding..."  
  
"Why?" her father looked so upset.  
  
"Be-because you said I have to be a princess now, and I don't want to be a princess yet, not the kind of princess they would want." Tears wear flooding her innocent eyes.  
  
Akemi sighed and smiled, "Oh sweetheart, being a princess only means you have to be willing to do what's best for people, to listen and help them, nothing more."  
  
"Really?"  
  
Akemi chuckled at his sweet daughter, "Yes, now let's get you and Endymion to the dining hall. His mother's worried sick"  
  
"Okay" Selena wiped her tears and smiled. 


	3. part 3

The Beginning of Fate  
  
Part 3  
  
Selena, Endymion, and Selena's parents walked back into the palace. They strode into the blue lighted dining hall where six girls were sitting on a cushioned bench against the wall. Selena was trying to get a good look at them when a dark haired woman greeted them, or greeted Endymion.  
  
"Endymion!" she cried while running towards the earth prince, her shoulder length black hair flailing out behind her.  
  
"It's okay! Mom!" Endymion squirmed while his mother crouched to the ground and hugged him.  
  
"Where were you? I was worried sick! And after just arriving on a whole new planet! What were you thinking? Just disappearing like that! Why-"  
  
"Iku, let the boy breathe!" A tall man with hair as black as the rest of the families was laughing above the scene.  
  
The woman pulled away from her hug and looked up at her husband, ""Katsutoshi, don't tell me you weren't worried in the least!"  
  
The man laughed again, "Of course I was worried, but I'm not going to celebrate finding our son by suffocating him!" Katsutoshi's brown eyes were dancing. He held out his hand and Iku took it, letting him pull her to her feet.  
  
Selena pulled her eyes from the awkward family scene to the girls on the bench across the room, who were all obviously still absorbed in what was happening with the royal family of Earth. Except for two, one with shoulder length teal hair that fell in soft curls, and the other with short sandy blonde hair that was cut so it looked more like it belonged to a boy than a girl. The two of them were busy chatting and giggling. Selena watched them; did all these girls already know each other?  
  
Selenity and Akemi were able to calm things down enough with Endymion's family to sit everyone down at the large dining table. Selenity stood at the head; "I would like to welcome everyone here. For the most part we are strangers, especially the children" She took a glance towards Selena who was awestruck by how official and formal her mother was, she'd seen her mother be official before at parties and balls, but it left her staring every time. It was so...not like her. "Which is why I would like each of you to say your name and age as we go around, all right?"  
  
There was a chorus of nods around the table. Selenity looked towards Selena, "Why don't you start, dear?"  
  
Selena nodded, "I am Princess Selenity, I'm six years old. Of course you can call me Selena." She looked down into her lap and blushed.  
  
Then Endymion introduced himself, stating that he was nine years old. He seemed confident and warm as he spoke, Selena smiled, a little less nervous.  
  
Following Endymion was a girl with short blue hair that fell like a waterfall halfway down her neck. "My name is Ami Mizuno, I am six years old." The girl gave a shy smile, her sky blue eyes not daring to meet anyone's face.  
  
Next was a girl with dark black hair that fell beyond the shoulders, but as raven black as it was, when the light shone through Selena could have sworn it was fire red. "I'm Rei Hino, I'm six years old." her grin looked confident but the girl's eyes- deep and dark, an undefined colour mixing black, scarlet, and amethyst- showed a mixture of hope and misgiving.  
  
After the black haired girl was a girl with chestnut hair, tied tightly in a ponytail high on her head. Her startling green eyes seemed the friendliest sight in the world, as if they were protection from the world. "My name in Makoto Kino, but you can call me Mako. I'm six." Selena stared for a moment, forgetting her manners. Six! The girl looked at least ten. She shook herself and paid attention to the mew speaker.  
  
It was a girl with blonde hair, not unlike Selena's. Her golden locks were tied in a half ponytail with a big red ribbon. Her cobalt eyes beamed, "My name's Minako Aino, I am six years old." She didn't have top fake confidence in any way; she had it.  
  
Lastly were the two girls who had been talking earlier. The one with the teal hair spoke first, "I'm Michiru Kaioh. I'm seven years old." She gleamed a smile, the same certain smile that the short blonde on gave as she announced, "I am Haruka Tenou. I'm seven as well." The two gave out an air of importance as they spoke. It was as if they had the secret to life but were unwilling to share it with those who were unworthy.  
  
During the lovely breakfast the servants had brought out all of the adults seemed to talk endlessly. So did Michiru and Haruka. Selena talked with Endymion a bit, but every time she did she felt guilty about the other girls, who looked so remote. She tried starting up a few conversations, but found it terribly hard to work her way through the words and find something to talk about. For the most part the children ate in an awkward silence, filled only by the adults chattering.  
  
Selena was relieved when she excused from the table for classes. All the other children might be coming with her, but it would be easier to talk to them when she wasn't sitting at a crowded table with her parents eyeing her. Selena got up and led the rest of the children through the winding path of halls she knew so well to her classroom. She walked through the desks, realizing that now most of them would be put to good use, and finally reached her own, right in front of the teacher's desk.  
  
She sat and sighed. This time Luna really wasn't there. Selena couldn't shake the feeling that she was late on purpose to give the kids a chance to talk.  
  
A quiet, but expectant voice flowed form the back of the room; "Lessons fit for a princess! This will be the best yet!"  
  
Selena turned, it was Ami. She was beaming from the back of the room, examining the shelves of books there. She seemed completely absorbed in the very sight of them.  
  
Selena stood, now completely facing the back wall, "There's more books in the library you know."  
  
Ami turned from the bookshelves, almost reluctantly, and faced Selena, "Do you think, maybe, you could..." she paused, seeming suddenly unsure of the prospect of talking to another human being, "...show me? After class?"  
  
Selena smiled warmly, "Sure."  
  
Ami blushed, then broke out in a great grin. Soon both girls were having a friendly conversation with each other. It didn't take long for Selena to pull Endymion in as well. As the others listened in they found points of their own interest and couldn't help jumping in. Selena listened and observed Ami's shy genius, Mako's civilized brashness, Minako's exiting liveliness and Rei's teasing logic. The only people who didn't join were Haruka and Michiru, who were talking by themselves on the far end of the room. Selena paused for a moment a questioned herself, wondering why they didn't join.  
  
Luna walked in with a regal step and hopped upon her desk. She called out loudly, "That's enough children! Time to sit down. They rushed quickly to her seats, most of them staring at Luna shocked.  
  
"Yes." Luna smirked, "I can talk. Do you have a problem with that?"  
  
Most of the children just shook their wide-eyed heads, but Minako spoke up curiously, "Why should I have a problem with it? I talk with Artemis all the time, and he's a cat."  
  
Luna's eyes went as wide as the children's did, "Ar-Artemis?"  
  
"Yeah, he came with me but as soon as we got here he ran off. Said he was looking for an old friend." Minako remained completely unaware of the look on Luna's face.  
  
"Really?" Luna quietly muttered to herself before shaking herself from her thoughts back to the classroom, "Well...we should be getting along with the lesson, shouldn't we?"  
  
But Luna seemed unusually absent-minded through the rest of lessons. 


	4. part 4

The Beginning of Fate  
  
Part 4  
  
Luna ended class early, saying that they had all done so well and had finished the day's lesson early, so she would let them leave instead of starting the next day's lesson. They left gladly and, as Selena had promised, she took Ami and all the others through the meandering halls to the library. They stood in front of the large wooden doors that led to the bookroom and Selena stopped.  
  
"This is it." She said, gesturing towards the towering doors. They all stared. Except for Haruka and Michiru, who were standing to the rear of everyone else, whispering to each other behind their hands. Selena paused and looked at them for a moment, wondering if they even knew enough about the conversation earlier to know why they had come.  
  
She realized everyone was looking at her expectantly so she quickly rushed to the big double doors and gave a large push with her small body so that they swung slowly open, unveiling a gasp from everyone who was looking to see within.  
  
Books! So many books! They all gazed down the center row of shelves trying to see how far it was to the back of the room and barely making out a little line that they assumed to be a wall. Even Minako, who had confessed earlier that she wasn't a big fan of reading, was staring with large eyes. Meanwhile Haruka and Michiru, though pleased-even excited, seemed to expect nothing less then what they saw. It wasn't long before the group had separated as each went to explore.  
  
Selena smiled contentedly. She felt like dancing for joy at their reactions. They had liked it! They had been pleased! They didn't hate her! She laughed to herself; she had never felt like this before, happy for other people. She sighed, she had never really *had* anyone to be happy for, she smiled, not until now.  
  
She went wandering among the books herself after a moment. She decided to go for a science fiction, she hadn't read any science fiction lately. As she walked across the soft carpet she heard a soft coo from beside her.  
  
She looked to her right down a row of books to see Ami looking at a book determinedly, and yet she looked softly as if the book were an old friend she had a fight with, and she was trying to ask for forgiveness. She seemed unable to leave the book alone until it set her free. She suddenly became aware someone was watching her and jerked her head up. For the first time she let her eyes meet Selena's.  
  
Selena saw a wet drop slowly crawling down Ami's cheek for a moment before it was wiped away by Ami's azure sleeved arm running across her cheek. She looked up.  
  
"I'm sorry..." Ami whispered quietly, her eyes dropping down again to the floor.  
  
Selena watched, shocked, "Sorry for what? You didn't do anything."  
  
"I cried."  
  
This only surprised Selena more. Why would crying be a bad thing? She shook her head, "Ami, crying isn't bad. Why I was crying just this morning."  
  
Ami looked up, but still didn't meet Selena's eyes, "Why were you crying?"  
  
"Because," Selena paused, unsure of how to explain how she felt, "I was afraid I wouldn't be the princess that everyone wanted."  
  
Ami looked shocked for a moment, but her expression went back to grief and she remained silent.  
  
Selena looked with concern, Ami had seemed so bright this morning, and now this. Who were these girls? What were their pasts?  
  
"Ami...what's wrong? Can I help?"  
  
Ami was silent for a moment, occasionally opening her mouth as if to speak, but then she would close it again. She looked at the book in her hands and seemed to forget where she was again. She spoke, "Mom always said I should be strong, and then everything would be all right. I shouldn't cry. I should be strong. Strong like Snow White."  
  
Selena looked at the book in Ami's hands and read the title, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs". She had heard the story before, but never read the book, she began to ask about it when Ami started talking again.  
  
"Daddy said I would grow up to be strong. I remember him. He said `My little Baby's gonna be a genius that can take on the world, yes this little girl is going to be strong.' I was real little when he said that, but I can still remember it. Then he read me stories at night before bed. He taught me my letters really early, and he gave me a book. My first real book. And I read it all by myself and though I was only two. And I jumped up out of the room to tell him and found Mom in the kitchen crying. She said they had agreed, and he had left. She said she didn't love him anymore. I never saw him again. And then Mom said that I should make some use of myself and help the kingdom. She sent me to some training school and they auditioned for the most worthy to help the princess and the queen...and here I am." Ami's eyes looked glazed over and lost. Selena just stared.  
  
"Oh, Ami..."  
  
"I should be strong. Like Snow White was against the evil queen. I never got to tell Daddy how strong Snow White was. I shouldn't cry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." And as if the very force that had kept her up had come out with the words from her mouth, Ami fell to the ground and started sobbing. Selena ran to Ami and hugged her out of instinct, cradling her and whispering into her ear things her mother always said when she had been upset. "It's okay. I'm here. It's okay to cry...I don't mind." And then she said something her mother had never said, "You don't owe anything to anybody. If you don't want to be here, I'll let you go and be what you want."  
  
Ami stopped crying and looked up into Selena's eyes, and this time she didn't turn away, "What do you mean?"  
  
Selena looked at her, "You shouldn't have to be here just because your Mom or Dad wants you here. They shouldn't tell you not to cry and be strong. You shouldn't have to be strong for them and you shouldn't have to be strong for me."  
  
Ami stared, thinking for a moment, "If I stay...then will you let me do something?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I'd like" she said, pulling the book in front of her and caressing the cover with her small fingers, "to read you a bedtime story tonight."  
  
Selena nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. She got up to her feet and held out a hand to pull Ami up as well. The two smiled at each other. Ami looked down at the book, "Selena? Can I be alone for a moment?"  
  
"Sure." Selena smiled and left Ami in the aisle of books. She started wandering the Library, thinking deeply about her experience. She was so lost in thought she didn't notice when she bumped right into a chair. She looked down to see Haruka looking up at her from the chair. Haruka immediately stood from the chair and bowed in front of Selena, "I am sorry, Princess."  
  
"Sorry?" Selena asked, confused, "But I bumped into you. I should be the one apologizing. I'm really sorry, and you don't have to call me `princess'. You can call me `Selena'. We're friends now, right?"  
  
Haruka looked up from her bowed position, "I'm afraid we may never get much of a chance to be very close, Princess."  
  
Selena looked perplexed, "But we're going to be growing up together, aren't we?" She looked at the chair across from the one she had bumped into and saw Michiru place a mirror in the sash around her dress, and then pull her overcoat in front of it.  
  
Michiru eyed her, "I'm afraid our duty is elsewhere, but we will always be loyal to you." Michiru's gaze seemed to penetrate Selena and she felt as if all her secrets were being revealed. Michiru continued speaking, "You'll understand soon."  
  
Haruka stood and the two seven year olds walked away together. She called back, "See you later, Princess." and they were gone. 


	5. part 5

The Beginning of Fate  
  
Part 5  
  
The youngsters left the library, each with at least three books; even Minako had found books to her liking. They walked through the halls to Selena's room because they didn't know where their own rooms were yet. Selena didn't see Haruka and Michiru though and wondered where they had gone. Everyone assumed they were off on their own somewhere whispering to themselves. Nobody worried, Selena didn't tell anyone about what they'd said earlier, and they went off together without them.  
  
Now Endymion, Mako, Rei, and Minako were all scrunched with Selena on her bed as Ami read from "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" very dramatically. Emphasizing climatic parts and putting sympathy in all the right places. Selena was the only one who noticed how Ami seemed to lose her timidness as she read- how she glowed at everyone's approval and love. She finished the book with "And they lived happily ever after...the end." to the applause of the four girls and one boy lying side by side in front of her.  
  
Just as she finished a bell rang signaling it was time for dinner. The six children jumped to their feet, off the bed, and began to walk back to the dining hall. Haruka and Michiru speechlessly joined the group as they walked through the hall and the whole of them walked into the blue-tinted dining hall together and sat themselves down.  
  
Selenity was proud to note that all through dinner the children were talking and laughing together as much as the adults were. She looked at her daughter, already she had changed, become more willing to speak and more observant of others feelings. She smiled at her daughter, who smiled back, then went back to her conversation. The dinner was delicious and ended all too soon, in the opinion of most. Selenity called for Miaso after dinner.  
  
"Miaso, dear, would you show the children their rooms?" Selenity smiled, "And then I can introduce you to Iku and Katsutoshi and we can talk about that slow fiancé of yours."  
  
Miaso laughed, "Sure thing, Selenity. This way children."  
  
The children followed the cherry haired woman through the halls of doors to Selena's room. Miaso pointed to the room to the right of Selena's "This is Miss Hino's room. Your bag's have been brought up so you needn't worry about that." Then she pointed to the room right of Rei's going down the line, "That is Miss Mizuno's room, Miss Aino's room, Miss Kino's room, Miss Kaioh's room, and Miss Tenou's room. And Prince Endymion, you'll be staying in the room is to the left of mistress Selena's" she said, pointing to the door. "Do you need help with anything else?"  
  
Selena smiled, "No, thank you Mistress Miaso." And Miaso left down the hall to the sitting room where she would talk with the others. Everyone slipped into their own rooms and got ready for bed, happy to find that they each had their own bathrooms as well. They drifted off in large comfy beds to a deep sleep that dulled the senses. Selena laid dreaming of the happy time she and her new friends were going to share, but every dream had something missing, as if part of her world had disappeared and when she discovered what was gone everything fell into darkness and she would wake sweaty and panting. It was after waking like this that she heard the soft scream outside.  
  
She jumped from the covers and rushed out into the hall. She heard movement from Rei's room and decided that that's where the scream had come from. She walked nimbly to the door and pushed it slowly open. Rei was sitting with her knees held tight against her chest on top of her large bed rocking back and forth, and singing to herself.  
  
"Don't be afraid, my little one...  
  
Nothing can harm you here...  
  
Not when I'm close...  
  
I'm by your side...  
  
Don't shed a single tear...  
  
Life is a journey, hard and long...  
  
But friends will stand by your side...  
  
You are yourself...  
  
And I am I...  
  
Hope will become our guide..."  
  
She put her face into her knees and started talking lowly to herself, "It's okay, he won't find you here. You can relax. He doesn't care. He won't find you. He's not looking for you. He won't find you."  
  
Selena watched, unsure if she should interrupt. She walked into the room a bit more and made it all the way to Rei's bedside without her noticing. She slipped onto the bed beside Rei, who looked up slowly. Wiping her tears, Rei looked at Selena, "Did I wake you? I'm sorry... I just..."  
  
"You didn't wake me, I was already up. You gonna be okay?" Selena have Rei a worried face.  
  
Rei stared. She was so...nice. And she didn't expect to be told the problem, only wanted to know if everything was going to be okay, being understanding though she shouldn't really understand anything yet. She smiled weakly.  
  
"Yeah, I'll be okay, I just had a bad dream."  
  
Selena smiled, relieved, "Do ya wanna talk about it or do you just wanna go back to bed?"  
  
Rei looked at her, "Do you really wanna hear about it?"  
  
"If you want me to."  
  
Rei paused, "I dreamt that my Dad was coming after me."  
  
Selena didn't understand, "Oh?"  
  
"I ran away from him, last year. He wasn't being... he was hitting me and stuff."  
  
Selena gazed, shocked. Why...how...who would hit their own daughter?  
  
"He didn't used to hit me, he used to be nice and friendly and loving, but when Mom got sick he changed. He went full force into his work and never paid attention to me. He'd send me to my mom's dad's house, my Papa's house. When Mom died she brought me in and sang our lullaby, she said to forgive dad, said his heart was breaking cause she was dying. She died that night, while I was in the room with her. Dad hated me for being the last who saw her. He started hitting me, every night. So I ran away to my Papa's and he helped me get chosen to come here, but Dad swore he would find me and kill me. He says I killed her, that I cursed her by being born."  
  
Rei stopped for a moment, she turned to face Selena, her deep eyes frantic and wet. Her voice became a low whisper, "I didn't kill her Selena, it wasn't my fault she got sick. It wasn't. Please don't let him find me. In my dream he came and he got me. I died. They say that if you ever die in your dream, that if you don't wake up before it actually happens, that it's a bad omen. I don't want him to find me Selena."  
  
Selena got a lump her throat and her tears started welling up as she looked at Rei, "As long as your in this castle he can't get you. He would be stopped in a moment. Your safe here."  
  
Then Rei looked at Selena as if revealing the biggest secret of all; "I miss her. She isn't here to protect me anymore, like she was."  
  
"My mom says that lost loved one's are never really lost. She's probably still here protecting you. And I'm protecting you now too."  
  
"Thank you, Selena. You really are a princess." The deep black eyes showed a new hope, and a new gratitude.  
  
"Your welcome, should I stay?"  
  
"No. I'll be fine now, you can go back to bed."  
  
"Okay." Reluctantly Selena left the large room and entered the hall. She decided to get a glass of water before going back to bed, so she walked the halls to the kitchen. But before she got there she heard her mother's voice.  
  
"Iku, you can't be serious!"  
  
"Oh, Selenity. I just can't accept this! Sure everything looks fine and dandy now but how do I know your really protecting earth when you're here alone, without us earthlings watching you?"  
  
A new voice which, Selena recognized, as Katsutoshi's, the earth king's, spoke next. "And having these children grow up to be the next rulers! The next protectors! These children come from all over, I've heard the stories. Orphans and thieves being trained into warriors! My entire planet is resting on ghetto children?"  
  
Selena heard her father speak up, "What has come over you two? Last time we met, you were so supportive of everything we did for you. Those children have been hand picked from thousands and will make great leaders and protectors of both our daughter and your planet! The people of the moon are doing all they can for your planet and you won't accept it? What has caused this change in you?"  
  
Iku spoke regretfully and bitterly all at once, "Change in us? Your right, we have changed. Last time we met Katsutoshi and I were young newlyweds. We were young and trusting, but we grew, we grew and learned that not everyone can be good, and to never judge a book by it's cover. But look at you, why you don't seem to have aged a bit. There isn't a change in your features. Can you tell me why that is Selenity?"  
  
"You know very well why that is! The Silver Crystal is watching and protecting my kingdom, and it gives them and me longevity so that we my live ten thousand years. What does that have to do with any of this?"  
  
"Everything! Do you see any of my people living ten thousand years? Do you see the kingdom that I love being protected by magic crystals? If your kingdom is here to protect us then why don't you give some of your blessed crystal's power to us? You may watch over us, but you do nothing for us. While you have barely begun your life mine is almost halfway over! And now the heirs to your precious crystal are being selected by a six-year-old!"  
  
"You know very well that I can't use the Imperial Silver Crystal's power on Earth. Earth is not pure, there's too much hatred there. And now I see that the hatred has joined into you as well, Iku. As for my daughter's choosing who will do what in protecting your planet, would you rather I wait until she was older and do it behind your back? It's either now or a time when you are forbidden to be here, because by ten tears from now the kingdom will have gone too long without an heir, I'm not going to go that long without someone official to take over for me."  
  
"You are a fool Selenity! You say you can't help us on earth, but I think you are just being selfish. What kind of power comes from purity? You are lying to and cheating the earth!"  
  
"Where do you here these lies?"  
  
But Selena never heard the answer because at that point she had become so frightened that she had run away, completely forgetting about getting her drink. She ran straight to her room closing the door behind her. She leapt on top of her curtained bed and scurried under the covers, shivering and crying from fear. She couldn't sleep, trying to understand what had been said. But, unable to make any sense of it, she fell into a fitful sleep, again waking over and over to nightmares. 


	6. part 6

The Beginning of Fate  
  
Part 6  
  
The next morning went happily as the girls chattered at the breakfast table. Selena had wanted to tell everyone about what she heard the adults saying the night before, but couldn't find time to before breakfast. Watching the girls laughing around the table, some happier than they had been the day before, watching them finally loosen up, Selena decided it would be best not to trouble them with her burdens. They were so happy, she didn't want to ruin it.  
  
For the rest of the week everything seemed to go in a perpetual bliss and ease. Selena had almost completely forgotten about the conversation she'd overheard and how strangely Michiru and Haruka had treated her in the library before. And occasionally she would find herself in a room alone with Endymion and he would wink and try to make a scary face and she would laugh at how silly she'd been to be afraid of what these great new friends would bring.  
  
It was exactly one week after the fateful first day they had been together and Selena was happier than she'd ever been. All the children were going swimming with Miaso's supervision. Selena was floating on her back; relaxing and letting the water wash over her. She loved how the water accepted her body and motions, no matter what, and how when you submerged yourself sound all but disappeared, leaving you alone and free to do as you wish, with no restrictions. No restriction was something she'd never had the joy of experiencing. Destiny and blood always tied her to her kingdom. She sighed and let herself sink under the water and flowed with it, staying under as long as she could before coming up for a breathe of chlorinated air.  
  
"You need to work on your form a bit, but you flow with your feelings and the rhythm of the water. It's a good start."  
  
Selena turned in the water; Michiru was standing on the edge of the deep end, one hand on her hip eyeing Selena carefully, "You've got potential."  
  
Then she jumped into the air with a spin, and without more than a ripple to the water she glided in and began quick graceful strokes. Before Selena could blink Michiru was right in front of her, facing her. She smirked, and began to open her mouth, but was interrupted by another call.  
  
"Michiru you always were too much of a show-off." Haruka was laughing at the side of the pool, her swimsuit covered in a large yellow robe, she was completely dry and didn't seem to be headed for the water anytime soon.  
  
"Your just jealous."  
  
"Not really. I'm simply observing and I would have to say, that you, are a show off."  
  
Completely forgetting Selena, Michiru swam to the edge of the pool closest to Haruka and the two began to talk, in their own world. Selena shook her head, what was with those two?  
  
She sighed and decided it was time to be alone, she loved her new friends but it was hard to get anywhere without them following, she wasn't used to so many people around.  
  
She swam to the edge of the pool, her arms pulling through the water quickly and surely. She heaved herself out of the swimming pool and dripping wet walked to the locker and grabbed her towel, wrapping it around her tiny waist. She looked in a large mirror that covered the entire wall and saw a drenched mess staring back at her. She laughed and grabbed a hairbrush and let her hair down out of its usual buns. She began brushing the tangled knots and soon her hair was snarl free, but still wet, she didn't mind, she liked the feeling of hair drying out naturally. She smiled at her reflection, content for an unknown reason. She wiped her dripping bangs away from her eyes and lied on the floor, as if to take a comforting nap. It was in this position that an unsuspecting Mako found her.  
  
Selena felt a rustle beside and turned to see Mako lying next to her on the floor.  
  
"Mako? What are you doing?"  
  
"Laying."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because I saw you doing it and it looked like fun." Mako turned to Selena and gave a teasing smile. "What are _you_ doing?"  
  
Selena thought for a moment, "Laying."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because I saw her doing it and it looked like fun!" Selena pointed towards her reflection.  
  
The two girls giggled.  
  
"You're a silly kid, Selena."  
  
Selena turned to Mako, "Why aren't you swimming?"  
  
"Why aren't you?"  
  
"I asked first!" the two tittered again, but Mako sobered up quickly, her expression growing painful.  
  
"Mako?" Selena looked on concerned. "What's wrong?"  
  
"I heard it out there."  
  
Selena didn't say anything; she just looked at her newfound friend curiously. Mako didn't notice. It wasn't as if she was forgetting where she was or anything, just like she needed to go at her own pace. Selena kept getting the feeling that if she just waited Mako would tell a great secret. She wasn't scared, like she had been for Ami or Rei--Mako seemed like some sort of protector, always there for her.  
  
"I heard the sound that comes when death rushes over you, but as hard as you try, you can't grab it, instead you're left alone in the world, scared and unsure. That is when everything disappears."  
  
Selena's breath stopped in her throat as she stared at Mako, eyes wide and confused. "Mako? Are you okay?"  
  
Mako sighed, "It was the same sound I heard last year, when they were gone."  
  
Selena could tell Mako was holding back on purpose, not wanting to tell the whole truth. But she was scared of what Mako meant, and hoped to know.  
  
"They died unexpectedly, and young. The crash was sudden, I don't think they even knew what was coming."  
  
The pause was excruciating, Selena couldn't take it, watching the strongest girl she'd ever met hold back like this, finally she spoke, "Who, Mako? Who? You don't have to tell me. But...I would like to help, if I can."  
  
Mako laid on the ground quietly, her eyes squeezed together and her lips pressed in a thin line, as if she thought she could concentrate and make it all disappear.  
  
' Make it all disappear...' Selena's mind lurched as if in a seizure and she swallowed down a sudden lump in her throat '...How many times have I wanted that? To be free from all responsibilities, to let it all disappear and control my own destiny? ...If only...' Selena shook off the feeling in her chest. She knew her destiny, and she would help her new friends to discover theirs as well.  
  
"Mako? Please talk to me. Let it go, it's not right to hold back like this."  
  
"My parents died one year ago today." She sighed as if letting off the burdens of the world only to gain the burdens of the galaxy. She turned on her stomach and sat up, her legs flowing behind her. She reached her hand out to the mirror in front of her and touched the face of the young reflection; one silent tear fell down her cheek. "I wanted to go to them so badly that day, I wanted to find them and make sure they were okay."  
  
Selena watched her strong friend breaking down, in the past week Mako had always seemed like the one who made everything okay. It was hard to imagine her ever having any troubles because she was the kind of person who could stare any problem away and then laugh in glee. People like that shouldn't be the ones to hurt like this.  
  
"I almost made it to them, you know. I saw the cliff above that river and knew I could see them and we could be happy together again. When I hit the water my body stung like a thousand needles had pierced me and I was happy, thinking I could see them again. I didn't understand death, I only knew my parents were in another world and this is how you got there. It was black and my breath had left me and all of the sudden there was a light, and I saw my mother. She was standing in front of my eyes, I was so happy." Mako eyes softened and a weak smile played her lips, "I started to run to her arms, but she stopped me. I was confused, 'Aren't you glad to see me, Mommy?' I asked, she smiled so fondly and tears started falling from her eyes, 'Oh, darling.' She called me, 'I would give anything to be with you again, but you can't come see me. I wish you could, but you can't. You have to take care and protect things where you are. I'm so sorry, Darling, but it will be best for you and many others if you stay. Don't worry, your father and I are fine.'" Mako's head dropped, "The last thing she said was 'I love you.' I barely got to say 'I love you' back when the sun was shining in my eyes and I was gasping for air, crying."  
  
Selena gazed at the girl, "One year ago my mother said it was my duty to take care of things in this world, and so I decided that to do that best I had to come here." Mako's eyes lifted to meet Selena's, "She knew what she was talking about, this is the best thing that ever happened to me." She smiled and wiped her tears with her arm, "But out there in the pool I could feel my heart beat quicken. Memories and sounds were overwhelming, that's why I came in here."  
  
Selena smiled reassuringly to her friend, and was about to speak when she heard footsteps coming towards them. Mako turned towards the sound, "I think our conversation has just ended. See you, Selena." And she left.  
  
Selena sighed and lay flat on the floor again with a sigh. Closing her eyes she thought about everything that had happened in the past week. Why did the world always have to be so complicated?  
  
It was during this thought that the owners of the footsteps walked in and gazed down at the young princess. Selena heard a small chuckle beside her, "Princess, what in heaven are you doing?"  
  
She opened her eyes with a sigh and turned to face Haruka and Michiru, who were smirking at her curiously.  
  
She rolled her eyes and smiled, "I should think that would be obvious. I'm laying on the ground."  
  
Michiru laughed, "Princess, you are quite a unique person."  
  
"How many times do I have to tell you? Call me 'Selena', not 'princess'. We're supposed to be friends, and friends use each others names!"  
  
Haruka looked at Selena in an almost wishful way, "I'm sorry we won't have time to make that so, princess, I really am. I wish things could be different. But we have duty elsewhere, you will learn that soon enough."  
  
Selena stared, speechless and helpless. She tensed her body and squeezed her eyes shut, "Why do you keep saying that? Why don't you believe you will be staying here with me and everyone else?"  
  
"Because, someone who is very dear to us is who we will swear to protect from afar, after they give their orders that it must be so."  
  
"Who has power to give such orders over your duty to royalty?" Selena paused, "And how do you know they will need you?" she inhaled deeply and looked down, "If this really is to pass, I won't make you stay. But how can you know such things?"  
  
The two girls looked closely at Selena, she watched their eyes glazed over, secretive and ...there was something else. Was it regret? Hope? No, she knew that look. She looked in the mirror and saw it in her own deep blue eyes. It was hatred of destiny, hatred of duty. It was helplessness to inevitability. She relaxed and her body weakened as unsounded tears were held back. She looked up at the two girls. Haruka was looking at her empathetically while Michiru was sitting on a bench in the corner looking in a mirror.  
  
Michiru's eyes went wide as she looked at the stone hand mirror, "Haruka!"  
  
Haruka turned from Selena and ran to the seven-year-old on the bench and looked into the mirror as well, she gasped and her face became rigid. Her head fell and she looked from her bangs to Selena on the ground, Selena couldn't bear the reflection of herself that she saw in Haruka's eyes. She got up onto her feet and ran out of the room as fast as she could, breathing heavily and not caring where she ended up. She didn't pay attention to where she was going, she didn't know where to go. She wanted to leave it all behind so badly, she found herself in a dark empty room and all the energy seemed to drain from her body in a puddle on the floor, and she collapsed in a crouch. She hugged her knees and started crying uncontrollably. Sobs racked her small body and she wept into her skirt, which her knees were pressing against her face.  
  
'I don't wanna be princess' even in her head the words sounded like a childish whine, but she couldn't hold them back 'I don't want the lives of a kingdom to be in my hands! I want to live normally, like any other girl! I want...I want....' She sobbed '...I want to be able to want something for myself, instead of always having to think of this stupid kingdom. I want to want, just once; I want to be allowed to be selfish.' She finally let herself realize what she had never desired to confront, and she felt terrible. She reprimanded herself, which only brought more tears. She was lost in her own world, which suddenly seemed black and meaningless. She didn't know how long she had been crying, but suddenly there was a hand on her shoulder.  
  
She jumped to her feet and turned, Endymion was kneeling down on the ground in front of her, his eyes completely sympathetic. "You gonna be okay?"  
  
Selena looked at the boy in front of her, what could she say to him? If she told him the truth he would think she was selfish, and an awful leader. She relaxed her shoulders and looked away, letting tears continue to drip quietly down her cheek.  
  
He looked at her somberly, "I know. It can be hard to be forced to be selfless sometimes, but everything is always better in the end."  
  
She turned to him, eyes wide. How had he known what she was thinking? Her body started shaking and all of the sudden she was crying in her hands and kneeling on the floor.  
  
"I don't'" she sobbed, "I don't wanna be a princess, I wanna be me! I hate having my destiny chosen for me like I'm some sort of...Like I'm..."  
  
"Like your a slave."  
  
Selenity's eyes dropped, "Even the servant woman could quit if they wanted to, but I will always be voiceless on the matter." She sighed, "I'm a selfish beast to even want such things."  
  
Endymion's throat choked and he shook his head, going next to her he hugged her quietly, "No. You're not selfish, you're human. They...just have a hard time seeing that."  
  
Selena sobbed, "But even if they could see that we should be able to decide our destiny, we wouldn't be able to. They're not the one's who give us our obligations as royalty, no one does, it's just something you're born with."  
  
"I know. And I would give anything to change that, but I can't. Selena?"  
  
"Yes?" Selena looked up, wiping her tears.  
  
"Promise me that we can be friends, forever?"  
  
"But you have to leave soon."  
  
"I know, but promise that you won't forget that you're not alone? That we both feel this way, and ten years from now we can see each other again, and maybe change the stupid rules that bind us. Promise to be a good princess by your own rules and then we can do the best for the world and ourselves? Promise we'll always be friends?"  
  
Selena stared quietly and nodded her head quietly with a small smile, "I promise...We'll always be friends." 


	7. part 7

The Beginning of Fate  
  
Part 7  
  
Selena walked through the castle alone. It was late, very late. Everyone else was in the rooms, sleeping. She walked quietly and swiftly, a mouse on the run from prey. She went unnoticed by anyone in the house as she trotted through serpentine halls. She stopped stiffly, listening. After she made sure she had imagined whatever it had been, she continued.  
  
Her small slippers went noiselessly across the floor. She sauntered on. And soon, she was there.  
  
'There' was a door, a large silver door. She knew that this was where she would find the answers she was looking for. She stepped up to the reflective metal door and reached up on her tiptoes for the handle, which she tugged at severely. The door swung open.  
  
She looked around the empty room, there were large columns on one end, and beyond them lay a balcony that faced the bright blue earth. She watched the planet in silence for a moment, then turned to examine the rest of the room. Hanging in front of the columns diagonally from the ceiling was a large screen facing the floor. Below the screen lay a single stool and panels of buttons. The rest of the room sat empty except for a large crystal glass tube that filled the far corner.  
  
Selena glared at the panels, she knew it. She knew what they had to be. Her mother had told her the people of the Moon had ways of watching over the earth, and protecting it. She had grown up knowing that was her duty to fulfill, protecting the earth.  
  
She walked to the panels and kneeled on the stool so she would be tall enough to reach them. There were quite a few butting in front of her, but it didn't take her long to figure out which she had to push, soon the screen above her filled with an identical image to the one she saw if she looked straight ahead, through the columns. The Earth was projected onto the screen the same as she saw it beyond her keyboard, but all it took was one press of a button and the image on the screen changed. She focused in towards a small patch of land hidden in the ocean, and soon she was looking at the inhabitants of a little city, a city on the Earth.  
  
She knew where she needed to go, clicking and pressing she moved the image on the screen to a castle, large and foreboding, with high stone walls and dark gray shadows, the palace of the earth. She thought of the pictures of the palace that she had seen in books, where the castle was beautiful and seemed to glow. She looked at the brambles around the palace, she saw wilting black roses entwined among the large thorns. Her hand came to her mouth and she gasped. She knew it, she knew this had to be the reason. Thought back to the conversation she had heard earlier that night, what the adults had been saying.  
  
~*~ "Selenity! We can no longer trust you! Our boy should never have come with us; he is being infected by your evil Lunar ways!" the queen of Earth raged with anger towards the Moon Sovereign.  
  
"Again with these accusations, Iku? What have we ever done to your Endymion?"  
  
"He came to me today saying that he had become quite close with that daughter of yours." Iku said it as if her son had committed murder, "He says she and him promised to always be friends! I tried to tell him that this was strictly forbidden and he said, 'Well, I'd like to change that one- day. I'd like to see her again. We are very good friends and I don't see why we aren't allowed to see each other.'"  
  
"What, may I ask, is wrong with that?"  
  
"Your daughter is inserting rebellious thoughts into my son's mind! He is challenging our custom and tradition! It was your little monster that set him on this road! He was perfectly behaved until he met her!"  
  
"And that is why he ran away as soon as he found the chance? Iku, I seriously doubt that my daughter has anything to do with your son's idea. And I also think it is a very good one. I have seen the poison that reeks through your world, the people of earth are becoming more and more vile, whether you see it or not. Have you not seen the roses? Those roses which represent the dreams of every living soul in your world are withering away and becoming foul, because your people no longer even have the virtue in themselves to sustain the life of a flower."  
  
"Selenity, you do not understand the woes of my people! We are-"  
  
"You are perfectly well off...which has made you greedy and careless. You are open to anything that comes your way because you do not wish to fight it only find a way to gain power and money from it."  
  
"I am afraid Selenity, that that is not the problem, but that your people, the people we sent here centuries ago to care for us, have not done your duty."  
  
"We watch every single moment of your wretched planet, and do all we can for it. We have protected you from invaders, and even done what we can for the defiled state you have left it in, keeping your air clean and your water drinkable. All from the perch you have imprisoned us on, so that we may never leave. But occasionally you will come here, and occasionally those from earth will migrate here. I have seen them, the come here dark, violent, and afraid. Soon they learn the truth. The Earth is poison for the mind and spirit."  
  
"I sincerely doubt that! You only lie. I am afraid that I can no longer stay here. As soon as you have selected who are to be the new 'heirs' to the crystal and who are to protect us from afar. Then we will leave forever. No more contact with the Earth, we will no longer come here and you will no longer be able to use the communicators to contact people on Earth. If you fail to keep your duty as Queen as protect your mother planet, then we will destroy you without warning. We have the weaponry to do that very easily."  
  
"And exactly what am I to do for your planet?"  
  
"Give us the life of that crystal of yours!"  
  
"Even if I wanted to, I could not. The crystal saves what is good and demolishes what is not. Your planet would be completely wiped out, it is too evil."  
  
"Selenity. You and I will never meet again. I promise to destroy you. My son will forever be banned from contact with that little girl of yours. You have made your own decision."  
  
"No, Iku, it is you who has done all the deciding...." ~*~  
  
  
  
How come? Why can't she be his friend? What was so wrong with having him around? He didn't seem harmful; he didn't seem like something that could hurt you. And how come his Mommy was so hurtful? Why didn't she like the idea of being able to be everyone's friend? She knew she couldn't let this happen, knew what she had to do. She had to learn, learn why the people of Earth were suffering so.  
  
And there she saw it. The castle surrounded by black roses... ~*~ Those roses which represent the dreams of every living soul in your world are withering away and becoming foul, because your people no longer even have the virtue in themselves to sustain the life of a flower...~*~  
  
But why? Why? She had cried asking herself what could make an entire kingdom hurt so; the only answer she could come up with was hate. They hated her, the hated her mother, they hated her people. Where had the hate stemmed from, why did they need someone to hate?  
  
So here she was looking for the answer, and the only thing she was black, evil roses. The sight of them was making her stomach lurch. So many roses, so many people who could no longer see wrong. But she saw in the midst of them a group of buds, dark red buds, a splatter of red and black, and one was pure red. Crimson standing out from the splattered mass 'children' her mind flickered. 'They are not fully bloomed and not fully intoxicated by the hate of this world.' She looked again at the pure red bud, it was taller that the rest, next to two taller roses along side it, the roses were in full bloom and such a deep black it hurt her eyes to look at them. 'The royal family...Endymion. Of course, he is pure.' She smiled at Endymion's red rose, surrounded by the black hate of his parents. She was about to click, to search the surface of this planet for and explanation of the hate when the screen went blank.  
  
Selena gasped and turned around. To her side, with a finger above a button on the panel, was Minako.  
  
"Selena, even if you could find the source of the hate, you could not stop or solve it."  
  
"How did you-?"  
  
"I followed you, it didn't take long to figure out what you were up to."  
  
"But how do even know about the problems of earth?"  
  
Minako turned her head towards Selena, her eyes suddenly seeming wise, and her smile sad. She pointed to the glass cylinder that filled the entire corner of the room, like a small room of it's own, "Do you know what that is, Selena?"  
  
"A transport?"  
  
"Yes, instantly leave one spot and appear in another. Do you know where it goes?"  
  
"Earth, I suspect."  
  
"Do you think that Earth would only have one Transport, and one that leads only to a place they are forbidden to go?"  
  
"No. They probably have lots of them, they aren't confined like we are."  
  
"It would be very easy then, on Earth, to get away to some place happy, some place far."  
  
Selena suddenly understood where all this was going, "You are from Earth, aren't you?"  
  
"I was... I was."  
  
"But?"  
  
"It's evil there, very evil. There *is* no source for it any longer. I had to get away. I left a note on my pillow and ran away. I went to another solar system in this galaxy, and trained to come here. A place, that by rumor, was exactly the opposite of Earth."  
  
"What about your parents?"  
  
Minako looked down at her feet, her fist clenched and her eyes narrowed, "I doubt they noticed I left."  
  
Selena was surprised by her response, "How can they not notice when their daughter goes missing?"  
  
"They never paid attention to us kids, never fed us or bathed us. They were always to stoned to care. We took care of ourselves. I was youngest, and a burden to my other siblings, so I left."  
  
"But won't your siblings notice?"  
  
"Yeah, but they'll get over it. All of us got kinda numb to pain after a while. When your own brothers and sisters die so often, it kinda stops hurting. My mother gave birth to about sixteen kids, only nine are left, including me. And six of them have grown up or moved out anyway. The last two, the two I left behind, have taken after our parents and are drunk most of the time. My twin brothers, they're only ten."  
  
"Are you okay with it?"  
  
Minako's eyes moved from her feet to Selena, "I was for a while, it was how things always had been. But once I decided I needed a change and left, I learned that there was nothing okay with the way we grew up. But in a place like Earth everyone is concerned with their own problems and nothing gets solved."  
  
"And there's no way to help the earth?" Selena asked sadly.  
  
"No. The earth is poisoned forever."  
  
Selena looked down sadly, "Oh." She could feel tears coming on, but held them back. How was Endymion supposed to grow up in a world like that?  
  
Suddenly Minako smiled, "Don't worry. Endymion will be okay."  
  
"How do you know that?" Selena asked, nit bothering to wonder how Minako had known what she was thinking.  
  
"Because, he is still completely pure even though he has reached the age where most become vile, which means he will stay pure."  
  
"But-"  
  
"Trust me." And amazingly, Selena did. 


End file.
